A San Francisco woman pleaded guilty to selling $92,000 worth of imported jewelry falsely marketed as Native-made and was sentenced in federal court in Arizona.
Molly Breivis, 57, was fined $10,000 for selling jewelry produced in Asia through her eBay stores, MollysJewelry and GEMVOLT, while falsely claiming the pieces were made by Navajo, Laguna, Zuni or Apache artisans. The sales violated the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. Breivis operated the stores from 2020 to 2024.
According to court records and a U.S. Attorney’s Office release, Breivis was warned twice in 2020 that her online store was violating federal law.
“By selling imported jewelry from Asia misrepresented as authentic Apache, Laguna, Navajo and Zuni jewelry through her eBay store, Breivis
undercut the livelihoods and traditions of these Tribes and the integrity of their artists’ creative work and defrauded vulnerable customers,” said Meridith Stanton, director of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, in a statement.
Stanton added that the intent of the law is to protect Native artists and cultures and ensure “truth in marketing.”
Breivis sold $126 worth of merchandise to an undercover agent in Chandler in 2023, falsely claiming the items were Native-made. Federal agents also found several shipments of jewelry from India addressed to Breivis that she advertised through her online store as authentic Native-made goods, according to court records.
A memorandum by Breivis’ attorney stated that she was “terribly remorseful and embarrassed” and abandoned her eBay shop when she learned about the criminal investigation. She hasn’t sold jewelry since, according to her attorney.
Breivis was also required to write an apology letter acknowledging her illegal sales. In the letter, she admitted she had “knowingly misrepresented” the origin of the jewelry. Breivis did not respond to questions from The Arizona Republic.
“I recognize that my conduct harmed customers and affected Native American artists, artisans, and businesses that depend on the sale of authentic work,” Breivis wrote. “I understand that it also undermined confidence in the market for authentic Native American jewelry.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Woman made $92,000 selling Asian jewelry as Native-made
